The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 338: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

waistcoat pocket. But scarcely was the feat per- formed, when the employer of the two ruffians turned round and bade them take a chisel from the bag and remove the plate from the particular coffin to which he pointed. This was soon done—the nobleman holding the lantern in such a manner that, while it assisted the operation, it permitted not the operators themselves to read the inscription on the plate. “What next?” demanded the Magsman, as the nobleman secured about his person the plate upon which be seized the moment it was wrenched away from the coffin- lid. “ Hold the light, and stand a little farther off,” was the response. Joe Warren and the Beggarman accordingly fell back a few paces, the former receiving the lantern from the hands of the nobleman, who now producing another plate from beneath his cloak, proceeded to fasten it on in the place whence the old one had been removed. This task was easily accomplished by means of four black screws and a screw-driver taken from the bag. “ Now we have done all our business in the vault,” said the nobleman; and, receiving back the lantern from the Magsman, he led the way from thenoisome subterranean which was still pervaded with a stifling, fetid odour that made the stomach sick, the heart heave, and the tongue experience a thick, clammy, and nauseating taste. The Magsman and the Beggarman replaced the stone over the mouth of the vault: the box of cement already alluded to was brought into requi- sition; and the entire pavement, now uniform once more, was swept lightly with a small brush supplied by the bag—so that there was not the slightest in- dication nor appearance calculated to excite a sus- picion of the sanctuary for the dead having been dis- turbed. And it may likewise be as well to reiterate the observation that while thus employed in con- signing the huge flag back to its setting, the two men were not permitted by the masked uuknown to catch a glimpse of the inscription graven upon it. * Now follow me,” he said, when this portion of the task was accomplished; and, quitting the cloistral nook, he led the way to the farther end of the church, where one of the keys upon the large bunch already mentioned, soon opened a door near the communion-table. The party now entered the vestry, which was a small room, carpetted, and surrounded by bench- seats. A surplice and black gown hung against the wall; andin a half-open cupboard an empty decanter and two or three wine-glasses appeared upon ashelf. Over the mantel-piece there was a diminutive mirror, to the nail sustaining which a pair of clerical bands was hanging. From one side of the vestry-room a sort of closet opened; and in this recess was kept the iron safe containing the parish registers. Giving the lantern to the Magsman, the noble- man tried the small Keys of his bunch, one after the other, without any effect. The door of the iron safe remained immoveavle—the lock afforded no symptouis of yielding. “ If it do not give way by fair means, it shall by foul!” exclaimed the unknown, the lower portion of his countenance which the mask left revealed, flushing with the excitement of impatience and vexation. - THE MYSTERIES. 325 “Me and my pal would soon make light work of it,” observed the Magsman. There's plenty of implements in the bag that would force the obsti- nate safe.” “In fact,” added the Big Beggarman, thinking it necessary to thrust in a word, “ there’s no safety at all in asafe when me and Joe Warren are con- cerned.” “You shall try your hands upon it if I cannot manage it without violence,” said the nobleman. “ But see—this key appears to fit it—yes—it yields —it yields!” he exclaimed, with an inexpressible outburst of joy which led his two assistants to be- lieve that this was not the least important incident in the night’s adventures. ‘‘ Now that your services are not required for the moment,” continued the unknown, as he drew forth one of the registers from the safe,—“ you can seat yourselves and dis- pose of a flask ot brandy while I inspect this book.” Thus speaking, he produced a case-bottle from beneath his cloak; and while the two ruffians sate down upon one of the benches in the vestry to en- joy it, the nobleman placed himself at the table for the purpose of examining the register. With the lantern near him in such a manner that its light fell upon the pages as he turned them slowly over after a careful inspection of each, the unknown bent over the huge parochial volume with an attitude that denoted an absorbing interest; and though all the upper portion of his countenance was concealed by the black mask, yet there was an expression about the mouth which indicated a pro- found anxiety lest the record that he sought should not be there. Leaf after leaf did he turn over—a quarter of an hour passed—the men emptied the brandy. flask— and then they conversed in low whispers. The nobleman seemed to have forgotten their pre- sence, so profoundly absorbed was he in the ree gister: and thus, while he was diligently searching for some entry, the ensuing dialogue took place between them. “ This is the rammest lark altogether that I ever knew in all my life,’ observed the Magsman, “Tt’s a reglar romance,” returned the Big Beggar- man. “But have you any idea whereabouts in England we are ?” “ Not the remotest,” was the response. “Todo the gentleman justice, he has managed matters so well that he has even baffled ws in that respect. But the day may come, my fine feller,” added the Magsman significantly, “when we shall find out everything that is Now so strange and mysterious. At present we've two distinct clues——” “Two!” repeated the Big Beggarman: “ how d’ye makethat out? I only know of thesignet-ring which you took off the finger of the mouldy stiff’un down in the vault——” “And the Christian name of that lady,” added the Magsman. “ Didn’t you catch it?” “To be sure I did!” wasthereply. “ What a fool I am to overlook such an important point. Be- sides, such a peculiar Christian name too——” “Ah! it was a nice-looking young feller that screamed out that name,” observed the Magsman, “Tt was almost a pity to put him into the hole. I wonder who the deuce he could nave been——” “ And while you’re wondering, you may just as well wonder about who the lady was also—and who srry sme -esasaeasomeewn* ec em (C(O) nn) (C 6)(0)©) <SEG@